Life vest



Feb. 6, 1968 J. H. LE BLANC, JR 3,366,984

LIFE VEST Filed April 30, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 JOSEPH H. Le BLANC,Jr.

man

INVENTOR Feb. 6, 1968 J. H. LE BLANC, JR 3,366,984

LIFE VEST Filed April 50, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 FIG.

JOSEPH H. Le BLANCJI'.

United States Patent Oflflce 3,356,934 Patented Feb. 6, 1968 3,366,984 LIFE VEST Joseph H. Le Blane, In, New Orleans, La., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Tapatco, Inc., Fairfield, Calif., a corporation of Nevada Filed Apr. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 452,060 16 Claims. (Ci. 9333) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A life vest is provided, constructed of a plurality of longitudinal slabs of buoyant plastic foam material disposed within a cover member, the slabs being adapted to slide relative to one another, to conform to the body contours of a wearer. A generally keyhole-shaped head opening is provided, with the slabs extending around the head opening, and being partially severed at predetermined places to facilitate bending thereof. Means are provided for securing the vest to the body of a wearer.

This invention relates to life preservers or vests and more particularly to certain new and useful improvements in life vests which are constructed of or include a slabbed buoyant material.

Heretofore, such life preservers or vests have been constructed either of a unitary slab of buoyant material or of a small number, e.g., three, of slabs of buoyant material. The width of the slabs utilized in the known structures has been so great as to prohibit them from adjusting to the body contours of a wearer, with the undesirable result that it has not been possible to obtain a snug-fit to the body of the wearer. This has been a problem in the area of such structures which are located behind the head of a wearer, and, especially, in areas located across the chest portions of female wearers.

In accordance with this invention it has been found that the above-described problems can be overcome by a novel construction wherein a plurality of narrow elongated and relatively shiftable slabs of the buoyant material are employed in the areas of the vest which are to be located about a wearers head and chest.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a life vest including a plurality of narrow elongated slabs of buoyant material enclosed by a flexible cover means, wherein said slabs have their adjacent longitudinal surfaces in sliding contact with one another and are free within the cover means to permit relative sliding of the slabs and adjustment of the vest to the body contours of a wearer.

It is another object of this invention to provide a life vest as described in which the slabs are formed to provide an opening in the vest through which the head of a wearer may be projected to locate the first portion of the vest behind the wearers head and a second portion of the vest across the wearers chest and wherein the relative sliding of the slabs permits adjustment of the vest to conform to the contours of the wearers body.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a life vest as described wherein at least two of the slabs are arranged with their terminal ends in said second portion and with their centers in said first portion to form an arch around the upper perimeter of the neck opening and behind the head of a wearer.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a life vest as described wherein transverse slits are provided in the arch-forming slabs to facilitate bending of the life vest at the base of the arch, whereby the portion of the vest behind the wearers head normally does not conform around the contours of the wearers head but is free to so conform in reaction to waters buoyant forces when the wearer is water-borne.

It is another object of this invention to provide a life vest including a plurality of slabs of buoyant material enclosed by a flexible cover means in which the slabs and cover means are formed to provide an opening in the life vest through which the head of a wearer may be projected to a first portion of the vest behind the wearers neck and a second portion of the vest across the wearers chest, wherein at least two of the slabs are narrow and elongated and are disposed in said first portion with their adjacent longitudinal surfaces being in sliding contact with one another and being free within the cover means to permit relative sliding between said surfaces and adjustment of the preserver around the contours of the wearers head.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a reversible life vest of a generally rectangular shape save for one arched transverse edge comprised of a slabbed resilient buoyant material totally enclosed by a flexible cover means with said cover means and buoyant material being formed to provide a keyhole-shaped opening which, in its relaxed state, is smaller than a wearers head, there being included a waistband secured to the cover means and being extensible from one longitudinal edge thereof around the torso of the wearer into selective engagement with mating attachment means mounted on opposite longitudinal face portions of the cover means.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a reversible life vest that is generaly rectangular in shape and is comprised of a slabbed resilient buoyant material totally enclosed by a flexible cover means and a waistband secured to said cover means, wherein the cover means and buoyant material are formed to provide a keyhole-shaped opening through the vest, with the opening, in its relaxed state, being smaller than the head of a wearer, and wherein the waistband is extensible from one longitudinal edge of the cover means around the torso of the wearer and is selectively engageable with mating attachment means mounted on opposite longitudinal face portions of the cover means.

With the above and other objects in View that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claimed subject matter and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the life vest according to the invention and is illustrative of the manner in which it is intended to be worn by a wearer;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a life vest constructed according to the invention;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view of the narrow elongated slabs of buoyant material which may be included in a life vest constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 3A illustrates a modified construction of the slabs shown in FIGURE 3, wherein said slabs may be formed of multiple layers joined by a suitable adhesive;

FIGURE 4 is an exploded view of the sections of material by which a cover means may be formed for a life vest in accordance with the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional View taken along the line 7-7 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 88 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view along the line 99 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURES 10-12 are enlarged perspective views, partly in cross-section, illustrating in detail the manner in which the sections of material shown in FIGURE 4- are joined together to form a cover means for a life vest constructed according to the invention.

Referring to the drawings in detail and in particular to FIGURES 1-2 and 5-9 there is shown a life vest 29 constructed according to the invention. The life vest 20 has a generally rectangular shape, save for an upper arched transverse edge 22. The vest 29 includes a plurality of narrow elongated slabs 24-30 formed of a low density material which provides maximum buoyancy. The shape of the slabs 24-30 is shown in detail in FIG- URES 3 and 3A and their particular construction will be described in detail later.

The slabs 24-30 are enclosed by a cover means 31 which is constructed from a plurality of cover sections 32-36 preferably fabricated from a flexible porous clo.h or sheet material. The shape of the cover sections 32-36 and their mode of assembly to form the cover means 31 is shown in detail in FIGURES 4 and -12 and will be described in detail hereinafter.

Both the slabs 24-30 and the cover means 31 are formed to provide an opening 37 in the vest through which the head of a wearer may be projected (as seen in FIGURES 1 and 6) to locate a first portion 38 of the vest 2%, including the arched transverse edge 22, behind the head of a wearer, and a second portion 39 of the vest 20, across the chest of a wearer. The opening 37 has the configuration of a keyhole, the slotted portion of which is extended along the central longitudinal axis of the vest 29 in a direction opposite from the arched transverse edge 22. In a relaxed state, the round portion of the keyholeshaped opening 37 is of such a size as to accommodate the neck of a wearer, while being smaller than the head of a wearer. The slotted portion of the keyhole-shaped opening 37 is made of a sufficient length to permit the opening wearers head.

A waistband 4t transversely encompasses and is at tached to the cover means 31. The upper edge of the waistband 40 intersects the slotted portion of the keyholeshaped opening 37 at the latters lower terminal end. One end of the waistband 40 extends freely from a longitudinal edge 41 of the vest forming a strap 42. The strap 42 is extensible around the torso of a wearer and is provided with a snap-hook 43 which is selectively engageable with either of a pair of D-rings 44, 44' mounted by the Waistband to opposite longitudinal face portions 45, 46 of the cover means 31 to attach the vest 20 to a wearers torso. Adjustment means (not shown) are provided for varying the location of the snap-hook 43 on the strap 42 to accommodate the particular torso dimension of a wearer.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the slabs 24-30 are formed of extruded slabs of unicellular polyvinyl chloride foam. While the extruded form of this material is preferred, it should be understood that a molded form and/or cut pieces may also be employed. The slabs 24-30 may be formed of a single layer or (as seen in FIGURE 3A) may be formed of multiple layers 21, 21', 21" joined together by a suitable vinyl adhesive.

Each of the slabs 24-30 is formed in the shape shown in FIGURE 3 and is arranged within the cover means 31 as shown in FIGURE 2. As particularly shown in FIGURES 5 and 6, the slabs 24-30 are arranged with their adjacent longitudinal surfaces 24-3t and 24"-30 in sliding contact with one another. This sliding relationship is of particular importance because it permits adjustment of the life vest 20 to the body contours of a wearer, and is made possible by making the cover means 31 of a sufficient dimension to permit necessary freedom of the slabs 24-30 and by the smooth finish of the skin to be temporarily spread to allow passage of a which is naturally present on the longitudinal surfaces of such slabs of foam material. When a wearer is waterborne this sliding is further promoted by the lubricating effect of water which is admitted through the porous cover means 31.

As clearly shown in FIGURES 2, 5 and 6, the slab 24 is bent at its center and is disposed within the cover means 31 with its longitudinal face 24 conforming to the arched transverse edge 22. The slab 24 is located only in the first portion 38 of the vest 20. The slab 25 is also bent at its center and is disposed within the cover means 31 with a portion of its longitudinal face 25' in sliding contact with the longitudinal face 24 of the slab 24. The slab 25 is disposed in an inverted U-shaped configuration with that portion which forms the bight portion of the U-shape being located in the first portion 38 of the vest 20 and with those portions which form the legs of. the U-shape being located in the second portion 39 of the vest 29. The slab 26 is also bent at its center and is disposed within the cover means 31 with its longitudinal face 26 in sliding contact with the longitudinal face 25 of the slab 25. The slab 26 is also displayed in the configuration of an inverted U-shape, with that portion which forms the bight portion of the U-shape being located in the first portion 38 of the vest 20 and those portions which form the legs of the U-shape being located in the second portion 39 of the vest 20. The section of the longitudinal face 26 which is located in the first portion 38 of the vest 20 conforms to the upper half of the rounded portion of the opening 37. The slabs 27 and 30 are disposed within the cover means 31 with their respective longitudinal faces 27 and 3G in sliding contact with those sections of the longitudinal face 26 of the slab 26 which are located in the second portion 39 of the vest 20. The slab 29 is disposed within the cover means 31 with its longitudinal face 29" in sliding contact with the longitudinal face 33 of the slab 30. The slab 28 is disposed within the cover means 31 with its longitudinal face 28" in sliding contact with the longitudinal face 29 of the slab 29 and with its longitudinal face 28' in sliding contact with the longitudinal face 27' of the slab 27.

As clearly shown in FIGURE 2, the upper transverse edges of the slabs 27-30 conform to the lower part of the rounded portion of the opening 37, and the upper sections of the longitudinal faces 28" and 29 conform to the slotted portion of the opening 37.

As is further shown in FIGURES 2, 3, 6, 7 and 9, transverse slits may be made in the slabs, e.g. slits 48-53 in slab 25 and slits 54-59 in slab 26, in order to facilitate localized bending of the vest 20, such as between its first portion 38 and its second portion 39.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention the cover.

means 31 is constructed from the five cover sections 32-36 of a flexible porous cloth or sheet material that tends to dry quickly when removed from water. As noted above, the dimensions of the cover sections 32-36 should be such that, when assembled, they will form a cover means 31 of sufficient dimension to permit relative sliding movement between the adjacent longitudinal surfaces of the slabs 24-30 enclosed within the cover means 31.

The shape of the cover sections 32-36 is clearly shown in FIGURE 4. The sections 32 and 34 are of essentially identical dimensions and are generally rectangular in shape save for one transverse edge which is arched to conform with the arched transverse edge 22 of the vest 20. Both the cover sections 32 and 34 have a circular portion of material removed therefrom forming in them an opening therethrough. The center of the opening 60 is located on the central longitudinal axis of the cover sections 32 and 34 and is slightly larger than the rounded portion of the opening 37. Each of the cover sections 32 and 34 is out along a severance line 61 which extends from the central opening 60 along the central longitudinal axis in a direction opposite the arched transverse edge. The severance line 61 is of substantially the same length as the slotted portion of the opening 37.

The sections 32 and 34 are joined together along their three mating outer edges 62-64 by stitching or other suitable means (as shown in FIGURES 5-7, 9 and 12) to form the arched transverse edge 22 of the vest 20, the longitudinal edge portions 41 and 47 of the cover means 31 and the major portion of the longitudinal faces 45 and 46 of the vest 20 which are located above the waistband 40. The ed es of the sections 32 and 34 which border upon the opening 65? and the severance line 61 are joined together by the cover section 36 which is joined along its longitudinal edges by stitching or other suitable means (as shown in FIGURES 2, 6-7, and 9-11) to those edge portions of cover sections 32 and 34 which border on the opening 60 and the severance line 61.

The cover section 36 is generally rectangularly shaped, save for its opposite transverse edges 70 and 71 which are relieved for a purpose that will be described below, and is arranged with the majority of its face forming the surface of the keyhole-shaped opening 37, but with small longitudinal edge portions thereof being folded over to form the longitudinal face portions of the cover means 31 which surround the keyhole-shaped opening 37.

The cover sections 33 and 35 are rectangularly shaped and are of substantially identical dimensions. As shown in FIGURES 2, 4 and 8 these cover sections 33 and 35 are joined together by stitching or other suitable means along their three mating edges 65-67. The cover sections 33 and 35 are attached to the cover sections 32., 34, and 36 by mating the open edges 68 of the sections 33 and 35 with open edges 69-71 of the cover sections 32, 34, and 36 and joining these mated edges together by stitching or other suitable means. The connection of the ,cover sections 32-36 is further reinforced by the waistband 40 which transversely encompasses the cover means 31. As is particularly shown in FIGURE 10, the relieved edges 70 and 71 of the cover section 36 permit stitching of the waistband 40 to continue uninterrupted across the face portions 45 and 46 of the cover means 41 allowing previously stitched lip portions 360 to lie flat as the stitching of the waistband 40 is made. As previously described, the upper edge of the waistband 40 intersects the slotted portion of the keyhole-shaped opening 37 at the latters lower terminal end. As best shown in FIGURE 8, the cover sections 33 and 35 form the longitudinal edges 41, 47 and both face portions 45, 46 of the vest 20 which are located below the waistband 40.

The invention is extremely simple to use. When it is desired to use the device, the wearer will exert a force primarily along the transverse axis of the keyhole-shaped opening 37 temporarily spreading said opening along its slotted portion. With the opening 37 thus temporarily spread, the wearer places his head therethrough. Once the wearers head is through the opening, the transverse force is removed and, since the vest 20 is formed of a resilient material, the opening 37 will return to its relaxed state, retaining the vest about the wearers head. As seen in FIGURES l and 6, this locates the first portion 33 of the vest 29 behind the wearers head and the second portion 39 of the vest 20 across the chest of the wearer. The vest 20 is further secured to the wearers body by drawing the strap 42 tightly around the torso of the wearer and engaging the snap hook 43 with whichever of the D-rings 44, 44 is farthest away from the wearers chest. As best seen in FIGURES 5 and 6, the relative sliding of the slabs 24-30 permits adjustment of the vest to conform to the contours of the wearers body, thus providing a snug fit of the vest 20 to the body of the wearer. Since the strap 42 extends from the center of the longitudinal edge 41 of the cover means 31 and, since the mating D-rings 44, 44' for the snap hook 43 are available on either longitudinal face of the vest, it is apparent that the wearer may insert his head through either side of the keyhole-shaped opening 37, and that the vest 20 is, thus, reversible.

As may be best understood by viewing FIGURE 6, the sliding relationship of the individual slabs 24-26, which are arched behind the wearers head conform to the shape of the wearers head, provides better head support to an unconscious or disabled wearer. When the wearer is water-borne, these slabs 24-26 shift around the head of the wearer to form a concave surface giving head support from one shoulder completely around the back of the neck to the opposite shoulder. This offers a considerable advantage over prior art structures which have employed a wide unitary slab wherein head support is only given at the back of the head, allowing the head to roll from side to side. The invention appears in FIG- URE 6 as it would when its wearer is water-borne. In this condition, the first portion 38 of the vest is held snugly around a wearers head by waters buoyant forces While it is advantageous for the first portion 38 of the vest 26 to conform snugly around the head of the waterborne wearer, such snug conformation is not necessary and is, in fact, uncomfortable to a wearer who is not water-borne. This unnecessary discomfort to a wearer is overcome by the invention through the sliding relationship of the individual slabs 24-26 and by the transverse slits 48-59 which are provided in the opposite surfaces of the slabs 25 and 26 at the approximate juncture of the first portion 38 with the second portion 39 of the vest 20. The invention as shown in FIGURE 6 appears as it would when worn by a water-borne wearer. However, it should be readily understood that, when a wearer leaves the water, the first portion 38 of the vest 20 will bend freely away from the wearers head permitting its unrestricted movement.

It is to be understood that, while the low density material providing maximum buoyancy rcferred to herein is preferably comprised of unicellular polyvinyl chloride foam, other materials, e.g. unicellular pol ethylene or polystyrene foams or even other satisfactory foams may be employed.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention is well-adapted to carry out the ends and objects hereinbefore set forth. While preferred part structures and arrangements are disclosed herein, it is to be understood that variations in such structures and pa-rt arrangements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as outlined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A life vest comprising a plurality of narrow elongated slabs being substantially rectangular in transverse cross-section of buoyant material in side-by-side relation with adjacent longitudinal surfaces of adjacent slabs being disposed substantially parallel enclosed by a flexible cover means and having their adjacent longitudinal surfaces in sliding contact with one another and retaining their substantially parallel disposition throughout sliding contact, said slabs and cover means being formed to provide a head opening through said vest, and means for attaching said vest to the torso of a wearer.

2. A life vest as defined in claim 1, wherein said slabs are made of a unicellular plastic foam.

3. A life vest comprising a plurality of narrow elongated slabs of buoyant material enclosed by a flexible cover means and having their adjacent longitudinal surfaces in sliding contact with one another, said slabs and cover means being formed to provide a head opening through said vest, and means for attaching said vest to the torso of a wearer, wherein transverse slits are provided in said slabs to facilitate localized bending of said vest.

4. A life vest comprising a plurality of narrow elongated slabs of buoyant material enclosed by a flexible cover means, said slabs each having front and rear surfaces lying generally in two parallel planes in a fiat position of the vest adjacent longitudinal surfaces of the slabs being in sliding contact with one another and being free Within the flexible cover means to permit relative sliding of the slabs to positions in which the front and rear surfaces of some of the slabs are disposed in parallel planes spaced from and parallel to the disposition of their planes in the fiat position of the vest, whereby the vest is adjustable to the body contours of a wearer.

5. A life vest as defined in claim 4, wherein said slabs are made of a unicellular plastic foam.

6. A life vest as defined in claim 4, wherein said slabs and cover means are formed to provide an opening in the vest through which the head of a wearer may be projected to locate a first portion of the vest behind a wearers head and a second portion of the vest over a wearers chest, and means for attaching the vest to the torso of a wearer.

7. A life vest comprising a plurality of narrow elongated slabs of buoyant material enclosed by a flexible cover means and having their longitudinal surfaces in sliding contact with one another, said slabs and cover means being formed to provide an opening in the vest through which the head of a wearer may be projected to locate a first portion of the vest behind a wearers head and a second portion of the vest over a wearers chest, and means for attaching the vest to the torso of a wearer, wherein at least two of said slabs are arranged with their terminal ends in said second portion and their centers in said first portion to form an arch around the upper perimeter of said opening.

8. A life vest as defined in claim 7, wherein transverse slits are provided in the arch-forming slabs to facilitate bending of the vest at the base of said arch, whereby said first portion of the vest normally does not conform around the contours of a wearers head but is free to so conform in reaction to watcrs buoyant forces when a wearer is water-borne.

9. A life vest as defined in claim 8, wherein certain of the bend-facilitating transverse slits are formed at one side of the slabs and others at the opposite side of the slabs and intermediately of the slits at said one side.

10. A reversible life vest comprising a slabbed resilient buoyant material enclosed by a flexible cover means, said vest being generally rectangular save for one arched transverse edge, said cover means and buoyant material being formed to provide a keyhole-shaped opening through the vest, the rounded portion of said opening in a relaxed state being smaller than a wearers head, mating attachment means mounted on opposite longitudinal faces of the cover means, and a waistband secured to said cover means and being selectively extensible from one longitudinal edge thereof around the torso of a wearer and being selectively engageable with at least one of said mating attachment means.

11. A reversible life vest as defined in claim 10, wherein said buoyant material is comprised of a plurality of slabs of unicellular polyvinyl chloride foam.

12. A reversible life vest comprising a slabbed resilient buoyant material enclosed by a flexible cover means, said vest being generally rectangular save for one arched transverse edge, said cover means and buoyant material being formed to provide a keyhole-shaped opening through the vest, the rounded portion of said opening in a relaxed state being smaller than a wearers head, and a waistband secured to said cover means and being selectively extensible from one longitudinal edge thereof around the torso of a wearer and being selectively engageable with mating attachment means mounted on the opposite longitudinal faces of the cover means, wherein said buoyant material is comprised of a plurality of slabs of unicellular polyvinylchloride foam, wherein each of said slabs is formed of multiple layers, with said multiple layers being joined together by a vinyl adhesive.

13. A life vest comprising a plurality of slabs of buoyant material encloscd by a flexible cover means, said vest being generally rectangular in shape save for an arched transverse edge, said cover means and said slabs being formed to provide a keyhole-shaped opening in said vest through which the head of a wearer may be projected to locate a first portion of the vest including said arched edge behind the head of a wearer and a second portion of the vest including a slotted portion of said keyholeshaped opening over the chest of a wearer, and means affixed to said cover means for attaching said vest to the torso of a wearer, wherein at least two of said slabs are narrow and elongated and are disposed in said first portion with their adjacent longitudinal surfaces in sliding contact with one another and being free within said cover means to permit relative sliding between said surfaces and adjustment of the vest around the contours of the head of a wearer, whereby a concave surface may be formed providing a wearer with a head support extending from his one shoulder completely around the back of his neck to his opposite shoulder.

14. A life vest as defined in claim 13, wherein the slabs are formed of unicellular polyvinyl chloride foam presenting relatively smooth skin surfaces exteriorly for mutual relatively free sliding contact.

15. A life vest as defined in claim 7, wherein said opening is of generally keyhole-shaped configuration, being defined by an arcuate portion and a longitudinally disposed slot-like portion.

16. The life vest as defined in claim 15, wherein said slot-like portion extends only partially through said vest second portion in longitudinal extent.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1957 Chapman 9--340 4/1966 Baker 9-338 FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner. 

